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Forever young

A lifetime spent on a quest they all said was vanity. Well, she’d shown them. She’d found it, and it was just as legend described: human-shaped, more dead than alive. Janneth was aged and weary, but she had only to touch this innocuous looking root, and she would be transformed.

She grasped it, and gasped. Heat pulsed through her limbs. She tried to cry out, but no sound came. Petrified, she felt herself drawn into a murky place – imprisoned, helpless.

Rigid, she watched, as another, youthful Janneth took shape – stretching slender limbs and laughing. Old Janneth’s long wait began.

*****

I’m venturing into a fantasy world this week for Friday Fictioneers. The shape in the suspended plastic bag suggested to me a ginseng root. You can read a little about the uses of ginseng here.

Ginseng root

This week’s intriguing photo prompt was chosen, as usual, by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, who undertakes the mammoth task of hosting Friday Fictioneers, a weekly collection of 100 word stories. You can find all the stories here.

If you’d like to see some great old photos of Bob Dylan while he sings the song whose title I’ve borrowed for my story, you might like this YouTube clip.

Or, if you’d prefer something perhaps a little more tuneful, this one’s nice.

Thank you, Alice. You’re right – you can’t trust the fables, and you can’t trust today’s fables either – the ones on TV urging us to buy beauty products. Although I must confess I’ve weakened once or twice.

I had to check the picture again also, Margaret. How original of you. That was a nightmare if read seriously, though. That’s a warning to not go too far trying to regain youth. Great description, well done. — Suzanne

Accepting old age is the hardest thing, for some. It takes real effort to be comfortable and confident in your own skin, especially when it starts to sag and crinkle. I’m glad you liked the story. Thank you, Gah, for your always kind and encouraging comments.